This page has information on the following

|What is Digital Switchover?|    |Benefits of Digital TV|     

What is Digital Switchover?

This year Irish TV is moving from analogue to digital. This is the biggest change since the introduction of colour TV.

Digital Switchover (DSO) is the process of changing from analogue to digital broadcasting. RTÉ will switch off the old analogue signals on the 24th October 2012 leaving their new digital TV service, SAORVIEW the only place viewers will be able to watch the Irish TV channels (RTÉ1, RTÉ 2, TG4 and TV3) without paying a subscription.

If you watch your TV using an aerial, 24th October is an important date to remember because you will have to take action before this date to ensure you continue to receive the national TV stations. Pay TV services are unaffected by the closure of the old TV network. To learn about your different going digital options please visit the My Switchover Options section.

Benefits of Digital TV

Digital TV provides...

1.  clear pictures and sound. It does not suffer from ghosting or snowy pictures; 

2.  better coverage  of the national Irish TV channels– SAORVIEW reaches 98% of the population. This means that 98% of the
 population can get all four Irish national TV stations without subscription for the fist time.

3. Digmore channels – If you choose SAORVIEW, you’ll be able to watch more Irish Channels for free- 10 RTÉ radio and the following TV channels: 

                


                 

If you choose a pay-TV service like SKY or UPC, you’ll receive the Irish national TV channels and other channels also including natural history, children’s, sports and movie channels.

4. enhanced features such as high definition pictures (HDTV), enhanced teletext services, subtitling and audio description, electronic programme guides and interactive services